12 Students Hurt in Putnam County School Bus Crash

PUTNAM COUNTY -- It was a frightening ride home for more than two dozen Putnam County middle school students Thursday after their bus ran off the road and flipped over.

26 students from C.H. Price Middle School in Interlachen were on their way home when their school bus suddenly swerved off State Road 21, just south of Melrose, and flipped onto its side.

12 students were taken to nearby hospitals for minor injuries.

The driver of the bus was also hurt and had to be extracted by emergency crews. Highway Patrol troopers say the worst of the driver's injuries were possible broken bones.

As for the cause of the crash, troopers say the driver was forced to swerve off the road to avoid hitting a pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction that was attempting to turn left.

"The pickup attempted to make a left-hand turn onto Baden Powell Road, the local side street here, and violated the right-of-way of the school bus," said Sgt. Dylan Bryan of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers say they are considering possible charges against the driver of that pick-up truck, but won't be certain until their investigation is complete.